Peru tours & trips

Where do you even start in Peru? Machu Picchu, the Peruvian Amazon, the Nazca Lines or a zesty pisco sour? Decisions, decisions.

When you travel to Peru, you’re setting yourself up for a pretty mind-expanding adventure.

You’ve got the Inca Trail to hike, Machu Picchu to explore, guinea pig to eat, poison dart frogs to avoid, Pisco sours to consume and the Nazca Lines to get your head around.

Then there’s trekking in the Amazon jungle, exploring the reed islands of Lake Titicaca, keeping your eyes peeled for Andean condors in Colca Canyon and moseying around the white city of Arequipa. If travelling Peru doesn’t leave you satisfied, it might just be because you haven’t eaten enough guinea pig.

What people say

Great trip! Such an adventure of Peru in-depth.... Great experiences including trekking to Machu Picchu, local homestay, jungle lodge experience! Highly recommended for travellers with an adventurous flare!

Louise travelled on Peru

What people say

This trip is jam packed full of amazing things and provides an excellent coverage of southern Peru. Local guides and the homestay enable you to get to know local people better and feel less like a standard tourist. Colca Canyon and doing the Inca Trail to get to Machu Picchu were definitely the highlight plus the awesome people be got to meet along the way!

Chayna travelled on Peru

Peru travel highlights

Machu Picchu

Mountains, mystery and some seriously ancient ruins - you’ll have Machu to write home about after visiting this divine Wonder of the World.

Katherine Leggo

This trip was amazing! It is non stop but with an amazing tour guide like Fernando you are infected but his passion and positivity and find the energy to enjoy everyday! If you are looking for a truly unique experience I would highly recommend this tour!

Review submitted 16 Aug 2017

Peru trip reviews

Our Peru trips score an average of 4.7 out of 5
based on 197 reviews in the last year.

Culture and customs

Culture and customs

Parts of Peru seem frozen in time. In the highlands, where most of the population is Quechua or Aymara (descendants of the Incas), people still speak their own language, wear traditional clothes, follow Inca traditions and chew coca religiously. Most lead agricultural lives and there is a great deal of poverty. This is a stark contrast to the European-influenced coast, which is considerably wealthier and mixed with Europeans, Mestizo (mix of Spanish and indigenous), Afro-Peruvians and Japanese and Chinese immigrants. What unites the country is a reverence for religion and family, as well as a love for soccer (futbol, as it’s called here).

Eating and drinking

Eating and drinking

Peruvians take their food seriously. Whether you’re in a small village or a large city – your taste buds will thank you for visiting this South American nation. A delicious melting pot of flavours– Peruvian cuisine is a mix of Andean, Spanish, African and Asian influences. Stews and soups made with different kinds of potatoes (Peru grows more than 3,800 different kinds!), corn and quinoa are common, particularly in the highlands. Japanese-inspired seafood dishes as well as chifas – Peruvian-Chinese fusion restaurants – are more popular along the coast. Although many dishes tend to feature meat, vegetarian options aren’t hard to come by. Thanks to an abundance of avocados, a simple avocado and cheese sandwich is always a satisfying option.

Some must-try dishes in Peru include:

Ceviche: Fish and seafood marinated in lime juice, onions, salt and chilli peppers, typically served with chunks of corn on the cob and sweet potato. A national dish in Peru – cevicherias in Lima do it best.

Cuy: Adventurous eaters should add cuy (guinea pig) to their Peru bucket list. Roasted and usually served whole, it’s a popular staple in the highlands.

Lomo Saltado: This beef or alpaca stir-fry is a popular chifa dish found across Peru.

Two drinks you need to have in Peru:

Pisco Sour: Made by mixing pisco, the national brandy, with lime juice, egg whites and sugar, this creamy and zesty cocktail is a must try in Peru.

Coca-Leaf Tea: The coca leaf has been either chewed or brewed in tea by the indigenous people in the Andean region for centuries. Not only can it be calmingly meditative, it can also help combat altitude seasickness! Expect to see a freshly brewed pot of tea greeting you on the Inca Trail at the end of each day.

Festivals and events

Festivals and events

Virgen de la Candelaria (Virgin of the Candlemas): The city of Puno celebrates its patron saint with an epic, two-week party each November. Join in the revelry as performers parade the streets in elaborate costumes and masks.

Puno Week: Legend has it the first Inca emperor rose from Lake Titicaca to found the Inca Empire. Each November, people in Puno honour his legacy with a week-long celebration.

Cusco Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun): Every year on June 24, Cusco celebrates the winter solstice with street dances, parades and a re-enactment of the Inca winter-solstice festival at the Sacsayhuaman ruins.

Carnaval: Each year before Lent cities across Peru host Carnaval celebrations, but the festivities in Cajamarca are famous (or dare we say infamous) for being the most wild – and wet. Visitors flock to the city for nine days of dancing, partying, parades and water fights.

Chincha Verano Negro: Get a taste of Afro-Peruvian culture – its infectious music, traditional dance and hearty food – at this festival in Chincha each February or March.

Geography and environment

Geography and environment

Situated along the western coast of South America, Peru shares its boards with Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, Chile to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Most of the country is covered by the Amazon rainforest, which is hot and humid for most of the year and alternates between a rainy season (November to March) and a dry season (April to October – the best time to visit). The geography along the Pacific coast alternates between narrow bands of desert and fertile valleys. The Andes mountain range cuts through the centre of the country, separating the coast from the jungle. Machu Picchu, Cusco and Puno are all located in this highland region.

Shopping

Shopping

Vendors selling colourful Peruvian handicrafts can be found at tourist spots across the country. As Peru is one of the world’s largest producers of alpaca wool, expect lots of alpaca sweaters, socks and hats, as well as brightly coloured textiles and silver jewellery featuring Inca designs. Consider buying a few alpaca pieces – particularly if you forgot to pack your woollies – as mornings and evenings are quite cold in areas of higher altitude. Not only will you look stylish in that Peruvian poncho and chullo hat (the ones with the earflaps that tie under your chin) – it’s a great way to help support the local economy. When possible, try to carry small bills and coins, as it can be difficult for vendors to make change for $100 bills, especially in remote areas.

Further reading

Further reading

Title

Author

Death in the Andes

Mario Vargas Llosa

Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time

Mark Adams

The Conquest of the Incas

John Hemming

The Last Days of the Incas

Kim MacQuarrie

Red April

Santiago Roncagliolo

Peru travel FAQs

Australia: No – not required
Belgium: No – not required
Canada: No – not required
Germany: No – not required
Ireland: No – not required
Netherlands: No – not required
New Zealand: No – not required
South Africa: No – not required
Switzerland: No – not required
United Kingdom: No – not required
USA: No – not required
Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months past your date of departure.

Mobile phone coverage is generally good in Peru’s cities, but may not be available in more remote and mountainous areas. Ensure global roaming is activated with your service provider before leaving home.

Peru has a mix of both squat toilets and western-style flushable toilets. It’s a good idea to carry your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer, as they are not always provided. Some public toilets charge a small usage fee. Expect to use squat toilets if travelling on the Inca Trail.

Drinking water isn’t recommended in Peru. Avoid drinks with ice and make sure to peel fruit before eating it. Help the environment and try to avoid buying bottled water. Instead, fill a reusable water bottle with filtered water. Your leader or hotel can tell you where to find filtered water.

Most hotels, large retailers and tourist attractions accept credit cards but will usually charge a fee (about 7%) for using them. Expect to pay cash when dealing with small vendors, family-run restaurants and market vendors.

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Geckos are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of your trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.
For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Jan 1: New Year’s Day
April 14: Good Friday
May 1: Labour Day
June 24: Inti Raymi
June 29: Feast of St Peter and St Paul
July 28-29: National Independence Days
Aug 30: Feast of Santa Rosa de Lima
Oct 8: Battle of Angamos Day
Nov 1: All Saints Day
Dec 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Dec 25: Christmas

For a current list of public holidays in Peru go to: https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/south-america/Peru/public-holidays/

No vaccines are required in order to enter Peru but some are recommended for protection against disease. Visit your doctor or travel clinic for advice and make sure to schedule vaccinations 4-6 weeks before your departure date, as some require time to become effective.

Recommended vaccines:
1. Hepatitis A (transmitted through contaminated water)
2. Typhoid (transmitted through contaminated water)
3. Yellow Fever (transmitted by mosquitos): This vaccination is recommended if you’re visiting Puno or the Amazon. Some countries require a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate for entry after visiting Peru. Do your research before leaving home to see if you require this vaccine.

Most people start to experience altitude sickness when they are more than 2,500 metres above sea level. Many popular tourist spots including the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Puno, Colca Valley and Lake Titicaca are all above this elevation. Avoid alcohol and exercise before your body has adjusted when visiting these parts, drink plenty of water and talk to your doctor about possible medication. Peruvians also have their own method for treating the effects of altitude – try chewing coca leaves or drinking coca tea.

Dengue fever, malaria and yellow fever are all mosquito-transmitted diseases found in certain parts of Peru. Malaria is not generally found in highland tourist areas (Puno, Cusco, Machu Picchu). But make sure to bring anti-malarial medication if you are planning on visiting areas of lower elevation (less than 2000m). You can also protect yourself by wearing light coloured clothing when travelling in these parts and by using a good bug repellent.

While it might be common to see rainbow flags displayed throughout the Andes, this is in fact the flag of the Inca Empire and not a gay pride flag. Peru is a conservative, Catholic country where LGBTQI-rights are still developing. Many members of the LGBTQI community don’t publicly identify themselves and generally Peruvians will tolerate homosexuality on a ‘don’t-ask-don’t-tell’ basis. While Lima may be more tolerant towards LGBTQI-travellers, it’s advised that you should exercise caution when travelling in country areas.